SHe ultimately thought it was that maybe my son had a high arched pallet and that was what was causing all of this.
Hmmm...that's a possibility with mine too. But isn't it irksome that no one seems to
know what the problem is?? I mean, if he wasn't latching on properly he wouldn't have been getting enough to eat, right? But my little man gained his birthweight back by the time he was four days old! We never had trouble with weight gain until he was four months old and he got an ear infection.
By the way, pumping was not less painful than nursing because the pump still pulls at your nipple and mine had a huge scab on it.
Also, I don't think nursing more frequently would have alleviated my pain any better. I didn't need him ripping off the scabs more often! For general nipple soreness for normal people that probably works.
Maybe I did let him nurse too often those first couple of days in the hospital. I do remember that when my milk came in (on day 3!) that I had enough for three children and all of a sudden he could go three hours between feedings without blinking. Oh if only I had known about baby whispering then! I wouldn't have tried to wake him up every two hours to feed him! (I had been told he shouldn't be going any longer than two hours between feeds.) But I don't know, maybe I did offer overly much, maybe I didn't.
I guess if it happens again I'll try a lactation consultant but won't be surprised if she says she doesn't know what the problem is. I know if I just keep at it that it will eventually heal. Yea! More ugly scarring on my nipples!